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Sala McCawley

What is a circular economy?

The circular economy is an alternative to the linear economy we have now, which creates waste and extensively uses new resources to make new products. According to WRAP, a circular economy will involve ‘keeping resources in use for as long as possible, extracting maximum value from them whilst in use, then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of each service life.’


The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a great resource to look into the implementation of the circular economy and is the basis for the following.


The 3 Principles of the Circular Economy


  1. Design out Waste and Pollution

By designing out materials that can’t be utilised after the product’s life cycle ends, this prevents ‘waste’ from going to the landfill. Instead, materials that can be used to re-incorporate into other products into the economy will be implemented into the initial design of the product. For example: Shoes will be designed with fabric that can be reused into a new shoe or other product after the shoe can no longer be used.


2. Keep the Product Materials in Use

By maintaining, repairing, and remanufacturing products, the materials can stay in use for as long as possible without going to waste or requiring new resources to make a new product. This step is where systems are put in place to recover items to continue to make use of them rather than let them go to the landfill. An example would be Germany’s Pfand system of returning used glass bottles for them to then reuse the materials.


3. Regenerate Natural Systems

This step is to have a positive impact around us by improving conditions in natural environmental systems. For example, regeneration in the soil can be supported by returning nutrients into the environment in the form of compost.


Amsterdam Case Study


Amsterdam, a city in the Netherlands, currently has a circular economy strategy spanning from 2020 until 2025. The hope is to implement a circular economic structure in the city by influencing society and businesses to continue to support the economy without ecological damage. More can be read about their initiatives here.


What you can do...

Here are further readings that can help you evaluate ways you can implement a circular approach to your lifestyle as a student and consumer.



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